


First of his name

by mayachain



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Birthmarks, Gen, Genetics, Hopeful Ending, House Baratheon, Implied/Referenced Infanticide, Implied/Referenced Nudity, POV Stannis Baratheon, Politics, Pre-Canon, The Game of Thrones - Freeform, Uncle-Nephew Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-11
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-06 03:21:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25842742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mayachain/pseuds/mayachain
Summary: Stannis was seven months into conspiring with Jon Arryn to reveal the queen’s incestuous adultery and the bastard status of her children. Much as he might have wanted to act, it was not yet time.
Relationships: Cersei Lannister/Jaime Lannister, Robert Baratheon/Cersei Lannister
Kudos: 12





	First of his name

** First of his name **

Stannis was seven months into conspiring with Jon Arryn to reveal the queen’s incestuous adultery and the bastard status of her children. He was grimly intent on filling his role as Robert’s heir until the divorce got through and some other woman relieved him. How hard could it be to find one willing and able to comport herself with more decency than his current so-called good-sister? In the event that something dire should befall Robert before he could sire a legitimate heir, he was resolutely prepared to become king.

In the meantime, he still had to play along. Much as it galled him, for the good of the kingdoms he had to behave as if nothing was wrong, lest the Lannister twins grew suspicious and did away with both he and Arryn before they, before Robert, could bestow justice as befit oathbreakers and traitors. 

He had devised contingency plans, most of which involved retreating to Dragonstone and launching a counter-attack from there, but things were not yet that dire. They had time still. And thus Stannis was compelled to act as if he still believed himself Joffrey, Tommen and Myrcella’s uncle and that wretched excuse for a queen’s reluctant but loyal good-brother.

Part of that, he knew and could not refute, part of this whole charade, was commencing the Warrior’s Day celebrations by going to the baths with his ‘nephews’. Oh, Cersei, as ever, had been making a fuss that Joffrey and Tommen should go with Ser Jaime, if Robert could not be bothered to do his duty as a _father_ himself. The nerve! Yet somehow, this time around all her haranguing – due to a recent letter from Ned Stark, Stannis avowed – had only led to Robert’s declaring that he would take Joffrey, see if he didn’t, and Ser Jaime could guard them. Leaving Stannis to take the spare, the runt, if he so willed. Weren’t they one of a kind?

Oh, to be a younger brother, what fun.

Seven months into his covenant with Jon Arryn, taking a ritual bath with the Kingslayer’s bastard spawn was the last thing Stannis ‘willed’. At least it wasn’t Joffrey, he thought to himself, and admittedly whatever the parents’ numerous sins, they were not Tommen’s. Even if there was little doubt that the manner of his conception had left the boy tainted. Though, thankfully, not as atrociously noticeably as Joffrey.

Thus it was that he took Tommen to the baths. It was hardly as if Stannis hadn’t used to do this with Renly when he had been small, so he knew well what to do. The boy was agreeable enough. He enjoyed nothing about the endeavor no matter how nice the water felt, but it could certainly have been worse – wait, what was this?

What was this?

_What was this!?_

That night, Stannis arranged an emergency appointment with Jon Arryn. When Jon bid him enter his office, the King’s Hand was not in the best mood, given the givens, but his fatigued state was quickly shaken up by the younger man acting both distraught and elated as he downright blurted out:

I was wrong.

I was wrong.

We were wrong.

I have this mark, you see, just beneath my third rib-bone. My mother had it, I have it, Shireen has it. Renly has it not; Robert does. 

Tommen has it.

It is not a Baratheon trait, no. All that we confirmed about unions between Baratheons and Lannisters holds true. And Tommen has the golden hair, which should not by rights be possible. I fear – my Lord Hand, I fear it is very possible that the golden hair that has vexed us so is the only reason the boy is alive.

The boy is Robert’s. The boy is my nephew.

Joffrey bears this mark not. Ser Jaime bears this mark not, nor Lord Tyrion. We were all in the baths, I made sure.

We should check Robert’s bastards for my mother’s mark, if we can. As well as our surviving distant cousins.

I think Cersei must have never searched the youngest boy from head to toe as she did Joffrey, as she did those two unfortunates. Having Joffrey, her cuckoo’s heir, she might well have looked upon Tommen’s golden hair and been satisfied.

I know not now what to think about Myrcella. There is no maid that I trust to examine her.

They were seven months into conspiring to reveal the queen’s incestuous adultery. Jon Arryn, with movements far lighter than he’d displayed since their compact had begun, poured them each a measure of liquor. Stannis raised the small cup to his lips and drained it, even though it was not his nature, even though they would need all their wits to revise their plans. 

A hint of melon. Almost pleasant.

Stannis was not happy that a son of Cersei’s had a legitimate claim on the Iron Throne, no. He was far from happy about _that._ Yet he understood, had always understood, the position Tywin Lannister held. Now, for the good of the kingdoms, he would grit his teeth and be satisfied with Cersei being exiled or… otherwise punished. Tywin did not much _like_ his eldest grand-son, either, and Tommen was still young. He could surely be taught to be a good king.

Joffrey would be declared a bastard born of incest. He would lose his claim, would, if need be, be dealt with, while Tommen prevailed.

Renly would be happy. He was fond of the little boy, Stannis knew. 

The Lannister threat was far from over, but with this new revelation, it could yet be contained. The alliance that had been meant to be sealed with Cersei’s marriage to Robert would stand.

And regarding that one side of things that Stannis had these past months forced himself to disregard because he could not let it matter, not in the face of an altered succession and treachery and justice…

Shireen would not now be made to grieve the one royal cousin close to her heart.

.


End file.
